Olympic Games 2012: Three Women Made History

Wojdan Shaherkani

She is from Saudi Arabia and the first woman ever from this country to compete in an Olympic sports event. Her father was her trainer and he had to accompany her at all times at the games. We should all thank her father who made it happen. The Wall Street Journal wrote a nice article about it. Only two Saudi women were allowed to participate in the 2012 Olympic Games. Progress sometimes comes in very small steps.

Does the International Olympic Committee insist it does not get involved in politics? Well, as far as I know this athlete had never before competed in other international competitions. How did she qualify for the games? Thank you, IOC anyway.

Madhura Nagendra

She is the 27 year old now famous gate crasher from India (she is the lady with the red top and blue pants) who walked in the first row next to the bearer of the Indian flag at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games. She smiled while she was at it and later said she was a proud woman of India. Who thought that Indian women outside of Bollywood were generally submissive or obedient or not spontaneous? I am sure we will see more surprises by Indian women in the future.

Nadja Drygalla

She is an Olympic athlete from Germany who happens to be in a long-term love relationship with a man who later in their relationship joined the far right German political party NPD (National Democratic Party of Germany. Often referred to in a derogative way as neo Nazis). The NPD is a legitimate political party in Germany participating in elections at all levels (federal, state, and municipal).

Because of her relationship with this man, she had to prematurely leave the Olympic team of Germany, although she has said in public that she is not a member of this party nor does she agree with its politics. She is not being accused of being affiliated with this party. She also stated that her boyfriend is no longer a member of this party.

It is reported that this athlete quit her job as a police officer in Fall of 2011 after she had a meeting with supervisors, because of her relationship.

The self-righteous German minister of domestic affairs, Mr. Hans-Peter Friedrich, declared that there is no room for athletes with right wing ideologies, because athletes are role models as well. Presumption of innocence is unbeknownst to Mr. Friedrich. He also called for a parliamentary inquiry. The Sport Committee of the German Parliament plans to look into her case.

The good news is, she announced to continue as an athlete despite this harassment. It is about time that Germany overcomes its hysterical sensitivity to its Nazi past. Recent killings of immigrants committed by right wing radicals are no excuse for this overreaction that happened here.